The Runaway
by Lizzie xo
Summary: It’s after all the business with Marissa shooting Trey, and Trey has just left the hospital on the coach. The fab 4 Ryan, Marissa, Seth and Summer have decided to run away together for their own reasons. Of course, nothing will go smoothly.
1. Chapter 1

Marissa tucked the left side of her hair behind her ear a few times. She couldn't get it right. It was also a distraction of the image that had been playing through her head all summer. That face; that angry face staring at her, and that blood soaked t-shirt. It sent chills through her body everytime she thought about. She turned around and looked at the floor; three full sized suitcases packed to the point they were going to burst open. That wasn't even half of her stuff, but she had to be reasonable, as she would be carrying it round a lot. She smiled; this would be the perfect chance to start again. Her and Ryan could sort things out, and she didn't have to live near the place where she almost killed someone. She also didn't really have a choice, as her mom had banned her from ever seeing Ryan again, and that was impossible for her. Her mind was now focused on the time, which was another distraction from that horrible image. Her mom – Julie, wouldn't be home for a few hours yet as she was out wining and dining with Marissa's dad, so she had plenty of time for the other three to arrive. All she had to do was wait in that dreaded silence; the silence that gave her time to think about _it._

"So remind me again Cohen, _why _are we following Ryan and Marissa on their little 'back pack road trip'?" Summer asked, as Ryan and Seth loaded Summer's car with their luggage. Her dad was saving the car for when she graduated, but they were in desperate needs. Summer still wasn't happy with the idea of her leaving her dad and her education behind.

"I told you Summer, you don't have to come. But I'm not going to let Ryan go this time; I have to stay with him. He's changed my life for the better," Summer looked at him strangely.

"Ok… I'm gonna sit next to Atwood, did I tell you about my homophobia?" Summer began to walk off.

"Oh hahaha Summer, your so funny it's cute!" Seth was trying to sound sarcastic, but it didn't come out that way with his over the top voice. He grabbed Summer's hips and pulled her towards him, kissing her neck. She giggled in the pleasure of it.

"Alright come on you guys, Marissa's gonna be waiting," Ryan hurried them in the car. He pulled Seth back just before he got in the car. He turned him round to look at their house.

"You sure about this? You grew up here man, and you're gonna leave it all," they shared a moment as they stared at the house, until Seth broke it.

"Dude I grew up in Berkley, this place is just a reminder of the fake lives we've been living. I wanna get out there in the real world, see _real _things… I'm sure about this man." Ryan raised his eyebrows.

"Ok well when you get home sick don't come crying to me,"

"I wouldn't," Seth replied bravely. He then mumbled under his breath like a child…

"I'd go crying to Summer."

"Come on you guys! I'm getting impatient here… and when I get impatient I get angry, and when I get angry I hit Cohen, and when I hit Cohen he cries, and no one likes a cry baby!" Summer spoke quickly with her moany voice. Ryan and Seth looked at eachother as if to say, "she's off again" so they hurried into the car and drove off to Marissa's.

Marissa stood in her hallway as she moved her body around impatiently. Her three suitcases were stood next to eachother and ready to go. Her long, baggy top made no compliments to her slim figure yet the footless tights still managed to make her outfit look perfect, as well as her stilettos that rose her even taller than she already was. There was a sudden ring at her door, which startled her from her thoughts. She opened it to three familiar faces.

"Coop oh my god you look amazing, where's that top from? Never mind…" She grabbed Marissa's arm and pulled her towards the car, yet still being considerably gentle after her experience with Trey.

"Ow, wait what about my stuff?" Marissa removed Summer's hand from her arm.

"Look I haven't got all day ok! When my dad sees this car's gone he's gonna freak! We have a limited amount of time here Coop!" Ryan and Marissa looked at eachother.

"This is what we're gonna have to put up with, you sure you wanna do this still?" Ryan laughed.

"Not to mention Seth. Oh we're gonna have so much fun!" Marissa replied sarcastically. She giggled shyly, as they caught eachothers eye. Summer stood there, still with a frustrated and unimpressed expression.

"Well come _on_, what are you waiting for?"

"Ok Sum cool it!" Marissa went inside and got her stuff, then brought it outside for Ryan to help her load in the car. She then got in the back seat next to Ryan, and they began to drive off.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The four had been driving for a good four hours and decided it was time for a break. Summer parked the car on a mysteriously deserted road, lit up by the glowing lights from the only building on the street, which looked promisingly like a cafe. They all got out of the car and stood there silently for a while, looking at the building.  
"Well I say we go there," Seth said, yet again breaking the silence.  
"Good thinking man," Ryan replied sarcastically, as it was obviously the only place they _could _go.  
"No Ryan, its 'GT' remember, with the initial thing we did..."  
"Dude that was like 2 years ago, and I'm pretty sure you were high at that point." Marissa and Summer looked at eachother; confused. There was a small pause.  
"We'll explain later," Ryan said.  
"Oh I don't think you need to, no one will ever understand Seth even if they tried," Marissa said jokingly.  
"True, so true..." They all began walking to the cafe as Seth stood there, pretending to be offended.  
"Hey! That was very hurtful right there Miss Cooper!" They all ignored him and continued walking, yet he still stood there.  
"Come on Cohen, otherwise you'll be left in the dark on your own!" Summer called to him.

"Hey I'm a man, I'm not afraid of the dark. Geez Summer do you not know me?" Summer ran back to Seth and grabbed his wrist.

"Just a little too well." She pulled Seth's arm and they both ran and caught up with Ryan and Marissa.

They opened the door of the building to reveal crowds and crowds of people. The air was full of smoke and there was barely a gap to walk through with the many creepy old men who were drinking and drowning their sorrows. It was more like a bar than a café, one of those places where lonely perverts went to drink because they'd wasted their lives on nothing better. The whole room went silent as everyone stared at the four of them, until someone wolf whistled and everyone began laughing.

"Well this looks promising," Seth struggled to speak amongst the loud laughter's of these animals.

"I think we should go," Ryan was indicating for them to go.

"Hell no! I've been driving for like 4 hours, a girl needs a break you know," Summer said firmly.

Ryan looked at Summer then gave in.

"Fine. But be careful, these guys are…"

"…creepy? Yeah you don't say," Marissa looked at the crowds of men with a scared face, it reminded her of the experience with Trey, and how powerless she'd felt. She swallowed bravely. Ryan saw that she was uncomfortable, so he put his hand on her back as they followed Seth and Summer. It felt nice for Marissa to know that Ryan was still there to protect her, even after shooting his brother.

They made their way through the crowds as people stared and made faces at them, inappropriate ones. One man pushed their drunken friend into Summer but she just chose to ignore it by pushing the man away and making a disgusted face.

"Cohen these people are creepy!" Summer complained to Seth.

"I know Summer, just… keep going," Seth put his hand on Summer's back and gently pushed her along until they finally found somewhere to sit.

"Right so, what are we having?" Ryan was getting ready to go and order the drinks, until Seth's phone started to ring. He picked it up and looked at the screen, then looked up at Ryan.

"It's my mom,"

"You gotta turn it off man. The more she rings the more guilty you're gonna feel,"

"But I have to tell her dude, she has a right to know…"

"Yeah! Well maybe you shouldn't of ran off in the first place, if you tell her where we are then she's gonna come after us, and that's not fair man. I wanted to leave, you didn't have to follow me, you could of just stayed with your parents and everything would be happy again…"

"Ryan! Enough," Summer interrupted sharply. There was only so much that Seth could take. There was a long pause of silence as the four of them sat there awkwardly.

"You said that everything would be happy if I hadn't ran off. Well you're wrong, 'cause you 'd still be gone… and you're as much of a Cohen as I am," Seth said calmly. Ryan looked away as if he was going to cry, he realised that he did have a family back there who cared about him, but right now he couldn't be with them.

"Look this isn't gonna help anyone; us arguing. Seth, if you turn your phone off then it'll be a lot easier for you to do this. But if you don't then… maybe it wasn't a good idea you coming after all," Marissa said. Seth looked at Marissa, then Summer, then Ryan. This was the decider point for him, if he switched it off then he would come with them, or if he kept it on then he would go home. He picked up his phone and switched off. They all looked at him.

"Well it's not gonna be the fab four without the brains," He said, and they laughed.

"Or the beauty," Marissa fluttered her eyelashes jokingly.

"Or the brawn…" Ryan said plainly, as usual.

"Or the bitch… no the boobs! That one's better," Summer said.

"I'd say both," Seth said casually.

"Cohen!" She punched his arm but he just pulled her towards him and hugged her. Ryan and Marissa laughed.

"How cheesy are we?" He muttered to her.

"Having our own little nicknames? I'd say very cheesy, and pathetic, but quite cute aswell," Marissa smiled cheekily, knowing this would cause a reaction to Ryan.

"Oh you big softy!" Ryan laughed and began tickling Marissa as she giggled and laughed.

The four of them had a drink and something to eat whilst deciding on where they were actually going to go.

"Right, I gotta pee. Anyone else? Before we leave and don't stop for like another four hours," Ryan asked.

"Just as long as I'm not driving this time, then I'm good," Summer said.

"I'll drive don't worry," Ryan made his way to the toilets. When he arrived in there it was surprisingly empty, considering the bar itself was so full. He undid his jeans and did his business as he heard a cough coming from behind him. He looked back to see an old looking man with a scruffy beard and torn clothes. Ryan nodded his head at him as if to say "hi" then turned back round to do his jeans up. He made his way to the sink as the man leapt on him and shoved him against the wall. Ryan was all ready to fight back until he noticed this man had a knife held to this throat. He could feel the man's warm breath thumping against his neck with an unbearable smell of alcohol and smoke.

"You give me everything you've got; money, valuables, ANYTHING… and you don't die. GOT IT?" The man's voice was angry and desperate. Ryan breathed slowly to stop his fear getting the best of him. He was stuck. He had no money. He had nothing.


End file.
